wandering-europe

Packing Lists: what to take for 5 weeks and 5 countries

For months I've been trying to perfect our packing list.  Back in January I took inventory of all the travel clothes we had, so I could watch the sales and fill in what we didn't have.  The girls had a pretty good selection of ultra-light nylon clothing and stuffable raingear for Girl Scout camping, but darned if they didn't hit a growth spurt and grow right out of half of it.  

Armed with a list of what we still needed to get, I scoured the thrift stores and came up with a few more travel shirts and pants. Even Daddy scored some (I already had plenty from being a Girl Scout leader).  How exciting it was to find nearly new Columbia and ExOfficio items for $4.00 instead of $40.00 or more.  New shoes and sandals were found at clearance sales, and two new backpacks were bought on clearance, coupled with extra savings coupons.

Because we'll be in different climates, and all kinds of weather, I think the key for us is layers.  Reykjavik could be really cold, wet, and windy.  Interlaken could be hot and humid.  Since mood and behavior suffer for the females of the family when they are too cold, I'm packing down jackets.  With a compression sack they get pretty small, and with a little rectangular silk case they make the perfect travel pillow. 

Since we're staying in hostels, we'll bring hostel sheets, travel towels, and flip-flops for padding down the hall to the toilets.

With the bad knees my husband and I own, we've decided to take trekking poles for extra support as we try to keep up with the kids on rocky trails.

There is a growing ziplock bag of medications, and another bag of cords, chargers, and adapters for the cameras and electronics.  

The girls will each have their own daypack and be responsible for their daily things like water bottle, sunglasses, jacket, etc.   I'll have 2 cameras and an iPad on me at all times.

How we'll pack and carry everything is a great puzzle.  Instead of each person having their own suitcase, we'll pack a few clothes for each person in each bag, that way if one bag goes missing, no one has to wear the same outfit for the entire trip.  

I hate TSA and I wonder if anything will get stolen/misplaced during the inspection.  I've heard plenty of horror stories about travelers opening their bag to find someone else's dirty clothes, and one shoe of a pair missing.  Since we're packing trekking poles and a pocket knife I'm sure that checked bag will be opened and rifled through back in the baggage area.

If you, too, are struggling with what to pack for an upcoming trip, here are packing lists from experienced light-packers that you might find helpful:

Rick Steves' packing list

Rick Steves' packing list for women

globetrotting mama's packing list

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Carry-on Only, or Not?

Sometimes you HAVE to check your bags, like when you travel on a small aircraft. 

The girls in Kelowna, BC, Canada in 2006, about to board the plane.

After hearing lots of lost and tampered luggage horror stories, and experiencing one of our own, I haven't checked a bag in years.  Flying only carry-on was a challenge at first, but on my last few trips with the girls to the midwest, I got us down to carry-on suitcases only.  

Luggage for 10 days -- on the way to the airport in Indiana with my mom and the girls.

My husband is not sure he can travel for 5 weeks without his Swiss Army Knife, which he carries every day, and which would undoubtedly be very handy to have while  in Europe.  Mailing it ahead to our destination wouldn't work, because we are taking 4 flights within Europe, and we'd be without it half the time while it was in transit ahead of us.  We may end up checking a bag just so that the knife can come with us.  Of course we'd fill the bag up fast with heavier things, like shoes, coats, and hostel bedding, and we'll just hope it makes it through to us.

Weight limits are another issue.  For Icelandair, the current weight limit for carry-on is a mere 13 pounds.  On our flights within Europe it's 17 pounds.  I'm used to a 20 or 22 lb limit.

The rolling bags that I usually fly carry-on with weigh 10 pounds EMPTY.  That leaves 3 pounds for packing.  What could I pack for 3 pounds?  A few flip-flops and swimsuits, and that's all!

I also have my technical pack which I backpacked through Europe with in 1997, and it weighs 5 pounds empty, but it exceeds the size dimensions unless severely strapped down with compression straps, and the length alone may exceed regulations on the smaller jets we'll be taking in Europe.

I'm leaning toward 2 different soft-sided carry on bags, of which I already have one, which weighs 3 pounds empty.  

First is the Rick Steves Convertible Carry-on with waist straps, which makes it a more comfortable carry than his Classic Back Door Bag.

Next is the REI Vagabond, which is 3.5 pounds and much more expensive, but also has great features like a rain cover.  I also like the discontinued REI Tech Tour, which is currently on clearance, and is similar to the Vagabond, but weighs just under 5 pounds.

Just over 3 pounds, the Osprey Porter looks to be a possible contender as well.  Compression would be a cinch, literally, and it could work well for the girls.

The mounds of clothes and supplies in the "take to Europe pile" are growing, so it would be nice to get the bags to put it all in sooner rather than later, so we know it all fits.

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